Reader Letters | Dated gun laws

The Second Amendment (right of the public to keep and bear arms) was ratified in December 1791. Soon afterward a strange thing happened. In an instant, the guns owned by all of the citizens were replaced by the rifles and pistols of the 21st Century.

The people were thrilled with their new 21st Century weapons. No more struggling to load powder and ball and then fire one single shot in a heavy, cumbersome musket. Just pop a whole clip of ready-made bullets into a weapon and pull the trigger. From one to a hail storm of bullets would be released whichever way the gun was pointed. These guns were so compact, they were easily concealed. They were so lightweight, even children could use them. And they did. Tragically, the ratio of the number of people injured and killed by firearms to the total population quickly skyrocketed until it was exactly the same as today's high ratio.

Moral of the story: Don't regulate 21st Century guns with 18th Century gun laws.

PHILIP NIPPERT, Jr.

Louisville 40222 -

Time for unity

With all the media attention to wars of race, wars of murder, wars of health care, wars of words, and more wars, then there is the political war. It seems we are forgetting what truly matters: hope, peace and unity.

If our focus changes on what truly matters, then we can start to rebuild and build up our communities, schools, churches and governments. We seem to only pray when there is a crisis. Why not start uniting now?

All people come together to pray for our country. It's time to shift the focus on unity.

MELINDA McCULLOUGH

Louisville 40299 -

Players' education

After reading The Courier-Journal's April 4 editorial on UK's championship, I think the bigger question for all of these schools, not just UK, is whether they exist to accommodate players who have no interest in a college education?

I think the charters for UK, U of L, WKU, etc., probably don't contemplate a taxpayer-funded institution that provides a vehicle to simply warehouse kids using taxpayer-funded facilities for a year until they turn pro. I think their charters describe a mission of research and education.

Ultimately, the NBA players' union has a big role in this as well. They will no longer allow a kid to go straight to the pros like Kobe and LeBron did. The NCAA and NBA need to resolve this issue by either allowing a kid to go from high school or agreeing not to draft a kid until his class has completed at least three seasons. It is also time for the IRS to begin taxing the athletic departments of all of these schools like the big businesses they really are. Congress should revoke the NCAA's (New Cash Always Acquired) anti-trust exemption as well.

When I hear discussions of conference realignment, TV deals and shoe contracts, it sounds a lot like a merger of major corporations. The NCAA's greed was demonstrated once again last weekend with the raised basketball floor in the middle of a domed football stadium. Don't worry that the kids might get hurt, just sell more tickets. Move the games back to basketball arenas and make less money.

MICHAEL HERP

Louisville 40242 -

Post-mortem

Congratulations to the Cats for their tremendous accomplishment. And to the 'Ville. Who among us ever thought the Final Four was in the Cards? Big Blue, please take a week or so to gloat - as if we have any choice. Then check out next year's pre-season poll. That's right, baby. We're not one and done. But I'm afraid I'm getting ahead of myself. A mauling on the gridiron beckons.

MIKE HAUER

Louisville 40205 -

Tyrannical

Five dollars is added to my telephone bill each month for not using long distance. What citizen in his or her right mind would agree to pay a company for not using its service? Easy answer: the elected citizens in Congress. Granted, the tyrannically assessed $5 is a small sum, but a most dangerous mindset enabled its existence.

That same mindset forced a two-thirds majority of dissenting Americans to accept "Obamacare." A more recent example was John McCain when he stood on the floor of the Senate and implored America to bomb Syria. When McCain called for those bombs, where were his brain and oath of office? Which bomb-maker instructed him to make that call?

America has a debt of $16 trillion, a current deficit of $1.3 trillion, and she must borrow 40 percent of the $3.5 trillion in her household budget just to make ends meet. Moreover, 36,000 of her children have been killed or maimed in 10 years of misguided wars.

Despite those alarming facts, McCain wants to bomb another sovereign nation that poses no threat to America. Why do politicians in Congress, especially the long-standing incumbents like McCain, consistently demonstrate such vivid examples of rank stupidity and pretend not to see them or their deleterious consequences?

SHAFTER BAILEY

Lawrenceburg, Ky. 40342 -

Louisville, Kentucky • Southern Indiana

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Reader Letters | Dated gun laws

The Second Amendment (right of the public to keep and bear arms) was ratified in December 1791. Soon afterward a strange thing happened. In an instant, the guns owned by all of the citizens were